(Off The Porch)

It seems like a familiar sight has returned, sneaking under an alias. It seems with maybe less of “ HERE’S JOHNNY” to review, he’s chosen the Mick Foley route and unleashed his Cactus Jack persona with ‘JohnnyBeBad’ and this time with a production effort by ‘LYNCHVILLAIN’, we have 20 minutes and 07 seconds of dope content to get through, so let’s get to it!

So 6 tracks. No features, and talking the production side of things, this one feels like Johnny is tapping into his ‘Griselda’ era of music. With gritty boom bap combined with sparkling and destructive sample loops that, when combined, create a devastatingly strong sonic presence real enough to punch you in the face!

This vibe starts off immediately with the opening intro all the way through to the ending. 

The level of tension and dark energy that LYNCH provides is incredible with his skilled technique and masterful execution of grime, poisonous and powerful weapons of beat that is undeniable to the audience. 

With every track that goes by, it feels like the tracks only get more extreme, more hardcore, and more lethal in presence and execution. Definitely gotta give a shoutout to LYNCHVILLAIN as he definitely lives up to his name.

Now onto the new name and face but familiar voice in JohnnyBeBad. He’s back with his usual gritty and energetic style of flow and delivery. His witty yet intense approach to his wordplay and lyricism and his overall studio cadence makes him a recognised player in this game!

His approach is unavoidable and unapologetic. His manner is cocky yet that arrogance is from experience sharpening his craft and perfecting his technique to the point of near perfection. He doesn’t mess around; he’s in your face and he stays there for the whole 20 minutes like the drill instructor in ‘Full Metal Jacket’ and he ain’t giving anyone a second to breathe.

It’s his aggressive and definite attitude on the mic that makes him such a memorable figure right now!

Overall, another great showing by Here’s Johnny/ JohnnyBeBad and LYNCHVILLAIN put his best foot forward with this one! 

https://youtu.be/fbKzw4oXDNs?si=DRmZcuhM06Ztt79a

(It Takes A Village)

It’s time to take another look at the Black Soprano Family. A crew founded by Benny The Butcher and has spawned some of the most skilled players in the game right now:

-Flames Dot Malik

-Rick Hyde

And now we introduce IMYOUNGWORLD to that roster, and based on how good the others are, I’m excited to explore this one! 

So, we have 9 tracks and 22 minutes. Featuring the likes of -Sule, and straight off the bat, what’s brought to the listeners’ attention is the larger-than-life and mainstream feel this sound unleashes and represents. It’s something BSF has become notorious for with all their releases, regardless of the style and level of grit attached to them; each album sounds high-profile, crisp, and provides that rich atmosphere that makes you want to play this at a club or across the nation on the radios and cars! 

That’s how big this feels, especially when you have tracks like ‘9 to 5’ with those melodic vocal sample loops, those trumpets, and that traditional up-beat hip-hop beat which sounds like something you’d hear from Joey Badas$$ or Logic, and they do this production justice!

Or even the track ‘GUAGM’ which opens the album off with that smooth gospel vocal sample which turns into this thudding and heavy-handed boom-bap beat enough to slap you in the face! 

This album has so many different sounds and feels and inspirations that feel like strands of the man’s soul come to life, used as sonic fuel to be on his best game!

Speaking of, we have IMYOUNG the man who is fresh to me, and after listening to this album, I was once again blown away by this artist.

Once again, BSF found a guy who has true passion, talent, and energy. He ain’t just rapping; he’s pouring his heart and soul into these bars, and you can hear it in his tone, cadence, and emotions that are drenched all over the record. Regardless of what he’s talking about, whether it’s about his past life or what he’s excited about or present life in general, he’s putting his best foot forward and puts all his effort into every word!

He has impeccable flow, sharp and introspective lyricism, and his overall performance in the tracks is infectious and inspiring! He’s proving why he’s one you should look out for in the game right now and having fun with it, the perfect combination!

All in all, another W from BSF. They are developing a roster that could rival anyone going right now, and I’m excited to see the rise! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/64knTiIScIt02N87vPAfRD?si=bBFcmecrRiOX72OBqMANYg

(Heavenly Unknown)

Last time we checked in on SB11, he was doing a dope collab beat tape, but for now, we are taking a trip back to September 2024, where he released this modern-day classic, which is now being released on vinyl. So, what a better time than to write this review now! Let’s get to it!

So, this is a project completely produced by SB11 and features an absolute monstrous crew to match, including:

-Flashius Clayton

-Planet Asia

-Defcee

-Josiah The Gift

-SUBSTANCE810

-Shottie

-Mickey Diamond

-Lord Juco

-Knoe

-Norm Regular

-Cousin Feo

-Flu

-Kaos The Baker

-LORD JAH-MONTE OGBON

-Ace Cannons

-A. Saxon

Yes, you read all those names right. This album couldn’t fail if it was recorded on the streets with $2 broken equipment. Let alone handled by one of the best producers out right now. 

Right off the bat, and something I’ve completely forgotten about but is how fucking masterful and beautiful SB’s techniques and craft are. No matter what beat or influence he gravitates to, he makes every song sound lavish and grand like an angel of hip hop touched it and granted divine power that generates from the ears to the soul and throughout the body. It’s nuts.

It’s just impossible to really describe how fluent, crisp, and soulful his work is without hearing it firsthand yourself, but even the small things like transitions between songs or the outros or intros, every possible detail is done with extraordinary precision and care to the point where it sounds like one of the most cohesive and perfectly structured pieces of hip hop I’ve ever heard (and I mean that). 

On top of the rappers, does it really need any explanation as to if they were good or bad? If you have any idea that these names are bad, then you haven’t heard them before. Anyone who has knows the answer is EXCELLENT. These names are the top of the list of who’s running the game right now, and so as that goes, they deliver nothing but fire verses back to back to back.

In fact, this list was overkill 10x over. SB11 was on some diabolical shit when he thought of this roster; he was on some ‘fuck the game, I’m here to destroy’ type super villain shit. So long story short, yes, they all did absolutely fantastic! Also, super shoutout to Flu! Reppin’ the same country as me, Australia! Gotta love that shit.

Overall, you can’t ask for a better album digitally or on physical release. If you can, make sure you cop this on vinyl and support one of the dopest in the game right now; he’s not even a 10, he’s the SB11! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/5fcSM3oDcg4wDrnRZjarL6?si=Px5bo1HxTiygVmRQvQReCw

(Ganjalf The Baked)

Funny story this. After reviewing the last single he sent me, I let Spotify just play, and this song came up! I fucked with it while it was on, then didn’t think much else until I got a message asking to review this exact track! Everything came full circle in the end!

So, new track by UK rapper ‘OnlyOneOnlySon’ and produced by ‘Famskii’. Right off the bat, I didn’t care what this sounded like. The artwork is dope as fuck as well as the song title, so I was going to love this either way. And lucky for me, it ended up being a good track!

Right off the bat, the production is hectic! With those smooth jazz chords playing in an infectious loop that just rolls off the beat and makes it feel like heaven in the ear of the listener! On top of that, we have what sounds like hip hop meets synth pop.

When I listen to this production, it just reminds me of 80’s rap mixed with ‘Tears For Fears’ type sounds and inspiration with those dreamy and ambient atmosphere surrounding the jazz and rap parts of the song to tie up into a stoners paradise of a single that would be a perfect anthem for the annual 4/20!

Now, OnlyOne, the man who impressed like no other the last time I heard him, and he’s only doing more so. With his smooth delivery across this beat, his witty yet insightful lyricism, and passionate flow and cadence on the track, makes him the perfect candidate for the powerfully crafted instrumental we have in front of us!

He seems solidly focused on making sure each and every word and breath he takes on this is lined up perfectly to the beat at hand. They both complement each other the way I haven’t heard many pull off!

Overall, a bloody good single and performance by the duo involved. Amazing artwork and song title and just hits in every direction possible! No complaint can be found! 

https://open.spotify.com/track/0yPQmPL7FdP5GbmvTErshK?si=UzY6IQfaQH6wyBiLRjIuuA&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A2Pvu3lfYH8MF3dyR0moSF0

(Thru The Eyes of A Madman)

This is gonna sound bad right off the bat, but hear me out, all. G Fam Black is one of those artists that I always forget is dope until I re-listen to him on a new feature or project. It’s like my brain has sonic amnesia to him that I keep re-discovering his dopeness every new verse he drops. So here we go again, and I’m once again blown away!

So, this is the latest collaboration project between MC G Fam Black and producer Mike Martinez, and together they bring 10 new tracks featuring the likes of: 

-DJ Decepta

-Aztek The Barfly

-Oblivious 

-Sankofa

-P-Ro

And let me tell you something, this thing hits H.A.R.D. holy shit.

This thing sounds like Grime Boom Bap’s older, alcoholic, abusive brother came home from jail and took over the household. This project sounds harder, tougher, scarier, and grimmer than anyone on the market right now.

Another aspect of this album is the amount of old-school cut and scratching. It’s an aspect of Hip Hop I love from the olden era, and it makes me happy to hear it again in any modern-day albums, so I love that!

But I really can’t express this enough: these monstrous beat progressions, these chilling keys and notes, and these eerie melodies take over your body and soul and trap you focused into this record from start to finish. It’s captivating as fuck and doesn’t let you free till the last second. 

Mike found his magnum opus with this shit! And he even raps on one song to make his voice heard, but this is definitely production you’ll have to experience to truly understand what I’m saying, but it’s that REAL SHIT.

G Fam Black. The man so vicious he’s plagued me with amnesia, apparently. But as per usual, his intense nature, his gargantuan energy, and deep, blood-curdling tone. He sounds as lethal as the album over does. With every word he spits, just like a rapper like Bub Styles, he doesn’t say his sentences; he fires them like a rocket launcher aiming at the instrumental and leaving it in shambles with no room left to be found, absolutely lawless.

Listening to G Fam flow and rhyme on songs feels less like a verse and more like a chaotic atmosphere, like the sonic equivalent of a VR experience where if you close your eyes, you’re surrounded by critical intentions, theatrical effects, and murderous intent. He’s the kind of artist you could listen to and legitimately worry at any moment you could breathe wrong during the album, and he could stop his bar, jump out of the Bandcamp or Spotify app, and beat the shit outta you for interrupting him. That’s how serious he feels about listening to, and I love every second of the pressure he creates!

Overall, this is a fucking BEAST of an album. It’s unforgiving, loud, brash, and in your face, and I wouldn’t have it any other way! 

https://gfamblack.bandcamp.com/album/thru-the-eyes-of-a-madman

(A Stoner’s Life) 10 Year Anniversary

You know, I love releases like these because there are so many times you’ll listen to an artist and forget to appreciate where they came from or how far they progressed since their beginning, and no other artist deserves that level of reminiscence than K. Burns.

So, this is his 2015 release and features 10 tracks featuring a collection of artists such as:

-153 Fetty

-Dough Montana 

-Planet Asia

And producers such as:

-Select Squad

-AtlasTheOverseer

-YKthePilot

-L&X Music

-A.Dready

-Ignorvnce 

-Onetime

-Nuglife

And this album came with the launch of K Burns’ ‘Team Fame Music Group’, and to say his career had only gone up would be a grave understatement, but it all started here. 

Right off the bat, this reminds me vaguely of Wiz Khalifa’s (Kush and OJ) mixtape, which was released 5 years prior to this one and ironically dropped the same time as this re-release. Anyway,  the stoner vibes, chill and hypnotic instrumentation, and smooth vocals and melodies have me making comparisons, but of course, his project is still its own individual album that has its own original ideas and themes.

For example, I’d say K Burns brings a certain level of grit and passion to his verses and lines that Wiz didn’t. He’s always had (even back in the day) had this certain level of confidence and hustle to his cadence and style that separated him from the others, and it’s evident on this one.

He’s always had the gift of being able to transform into whatever the production requires, which most can’t do. For example, he can appear as chill and melodic on an album centred on weed and peace vibes, then years later, he can drop one of the most chilling and eerie albums of the whole year with War Dogs. 

Even after that, he was able to piece together one of the most conceptually thrilling records with ‘Big Red Machine’.

The point being, he can turn into any lane and do fantastic! He’s not stuck in a certain box where he can’t perform in other forms. For example, can you imagine DMX in a chill album? Or Sticky Fingaz? Of course not, no disrespect to those two legends, but they were all the way hardcore East Coast and they thrived in that.

But here, Burns has the ability to mark any record he needs to and have it come out excellent.

This album features consistent and relaxing vibes that make you want to just lay back, roll one, and let all the stress fade away. It’s amazing; also, the 3 features do their roll to the tee, and of course, you can never go wrong with Planet Asia.

In closing, we’ve spent the past few years getting to know the present-day K. Burns, but now we have the blessed opportunity to visit his past, and even so, he hasn’t stopped killing it since day 1!

https://teamfamegvng.bandcamp.com/album/k-burns-a-stoner-life-lp-10-year-anniversary-edition

(We, The Makers)

Of course, I had no idea what to expect going into this, but even so, this thing definitely was not what I was expecting at all! 

So, this is an album by Paris artist August, truly a man who I had no experience with until today, but a man who’s definitely going to be on my radar from now on. 

Within this 32 minutes of content, you get gifted and experience that is more like an opera, more like a theatrical experience than it is a normal album. 

What I mean is that across this project, you hear influences such as: 

-Ambient

-Hip Hop

-Jazz

-Lo Fi

-RnB

-Soul

-Experimental 

And the way it all comes together in style, kind of reminds me of a Flying Lotus record in execution. The way all the various instrumentation and sounds fly around per track like a sonic whirlwind of wonder, delight, and intrigue, all wrapped into one! Every second of a song that passes you could be hearing a new and exciting influence, genre, and vibe.

While being accompanied by the likes of: 

-Chester Watson

-ELUCID

-August Fanon

He utilises these artistic masterminds and together help innovate and give birth to a project so enlightening and powerful that it just speaks to your whole body and forces your soul to dance and your heart to open up and breathe in the colourful ambience, and that is ‘We, The Makers’.

Vocally is what surprised me the most. While I was expecting  more traditional ‘Hip Hop’ style verses and bars, instead, we get this original singing that is unlike anything I’ve heard before! The different tones and octaves, the changing notes he’s playing, and his undeniable passion and energy he puts into every word is absolutely infectious and awe-inspiring.

I meant it when I said this is unlike anything I’ve heard yet, and if I was forced to describe what this sounds like, it would have to be a mix between: 

Joji x Genesis Owusu x Radiohead

I know that sounds bizarre, but trust me it’s bizarre in the best way possible. The lo-fi/dreamy production and notes sound like Joji. The colourful and expressive nature of his cadence reminds me of Owusu, and a lot of the times his main singing sounds like Radiohead.

This ain’t the kind of album for anyone close-minded who just cares about ‘traditional’ style music. For this one, I invite all listeners to open up your minds and ears to a cinematic composition. I guarantee you won’t be able to forget or put it down! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/7HokVFr2yPC1bNpkoBjXJ8?si=kPri1xMiSSK_emJID7Q8_Q

(Headshot)

New artist single alert! This time it’s a collaboration between Producer Bad Child, Rapper Nvy Jonez Lkr, and features DFD Baby Lee, and if you ain’t down with this monster trio, then be ready for a 

HEADSHOT 

So this 3-minute and 35-second track is gargantuan in aura and atmosphere, and let me tell you why!

Starting with the production, this album has this crisp and sharp boom-bap beat that’s mixed with classical strings and a funky drum pattern that, when combined altogether, makes one of the most powerful and tremendous instrumentals you’ve heard in a minute! It’s infectious, head-bopping, and will guarantee you scrunch your face right up while listening to it!

Onto the MC, Nvy drags the audience down to the Mariana Trench with his deep and gritty tone, his ruthless and raw raps, and his brutal execution of wordplay and lyricism! Enough to sink the confidence and pressure of any other competitor with the force of a thousand waves. 

On the other end of the sea, we have DFD Baby Lee, the Kraken unleashed with equally powerful words and flows; his only goal is to vanish foes and leave their corpses afloat as a warning for others who would dare attempt the same fate.

These two have the same level of chemistry as a captain with the waters, in complete harmony, and share one mind. With this level of power of unity, no one can stop them!

Do you dare, take a trip with this monstrous trio? If you are weak at heart, you may not survive. But if you fancy yourself strong enough to navigate the boldness and strength of this single, then all I have to say is WELCOME ABOARD 

https://open.spotify.com/track/6X8CMiRagWkXyFe2mj3ggV?si=eAsi-mjWRcKj6e3ysztkeA

(Muggers Alley)

Nothing makes me happier than discovering a dope new single by artists I’ve never heard of! Because let me tell you right now, this is is DOPE and if you don’t agree, you better watch out; you don’t end up walking around in

(Muggers Alley)

So, this is the latest track by rapper ‘OnlyOneOnlySon’ and produced by Odd Status, and let me tell you straight up, this is the kind of shit I’ve missed in today’s scene! Let me tell you something.

I’m a fan of the old-school drill era. I’ll die on the hill that Wiley’s first ‘Godfather’ album is the best drill/grime album of all time. That energy and style were unmatched to me even amongst all the great artists that came out in that time period or after, but now we have this man who matches and maintains that same level of intensity, passion, and rhythm that has left me in awe!

Starting with that infectious beat with that droning drum pattern combined with those underlining bass lines and those instrument clicks, all combined over that groovy grime beat that forces your body to move! 

Odd Status really went all out to make the kind of beat that you could play for hours on end and never get sick of it! In fact, I’ve already added this single to my Spotify playlist due to how dope it is!

OnlyOneOnlySon, the man with the most unique rap name in the game, and he has the one-in-a-generation voice and is talented in this sub-genre. The re birth if I say so myself. I say all this while absolutely loving artists like ‘Slowthai’ and artists in his lane, but while he’s more political and introspective in his UK rap efforts, we haven’t (well, in my opinion) had a UK Drill purest come out since Wiley’s album, and I strongly feel this could be that.

Not to downplay this single by the comparisons because his sharp rapping, his smooth flow, and his witty/clever wordplay all come together and spread like butter across this instrumental, and I absolutely love it!

It’s an understatement to say I’ll be tunnel-visioning myself through the process of these two artists and see where they go from here! Excellent work! 

https://open.spotify.com/track/6ApJkn9asaLh0WdAeOMxiE?si=vMj1lNuETlSSzt6HDStmtQ&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A4OXaHNYe87V8w6sTJhog9K

(Two Way Mirror)

It’s that time again to cover a new 100 MAD album as they’ve been absolutely killing it lately, and this one is especially interesting for the reasons I’ll explain now!

So, this is the brand-new collaboration between artists Sayzee X KNG Bondalero, and what makes this a unique project is the fact that they both rap and both produce on this one. They are showing the sonic practice of ‘Two Way Mirror’ with both of them ‘mirroring’ the other with equal parts synchronicity and diversity from the other. I can’t remember another project that does the same! 

This new album has 12 tracks and 34 minutes’ worth of content, and right off the bat, the production is so original and interesting because it features sounds and inspirations I either haven’t heard in the underground or by 100 MAD yet. This project features: 

-Reggae

-Boom Bap

-Synth

-Ambient 

-Soul 

-Classical Era 

And I love the variety and different depths and styles across this project. At one point, you could hit a track like ‘Smash & Gabba’, which has that strong reggae/rock vibe with that funky bass line and instrumental that comes together so fucking smoothly! But literally just two tracks later, you land on the song ‘30 Plus’, which has the most soothing and classical beat you could hear all year.

What’s also evident is that, although there are many different inspirations, none of it feels awkward or out of place across the record. It feels more like a unique and anticipating surprise that you sit there as a listener wondering what’s coming next!

As I said above, this is really a listening experience I haven’t heard before from 100 MAD or the underground period. Both MC’s contributing to the beats and providing an original score that really hasn’t been attempted yet!

Now on to the MC part of the album. Of course, done by the same two guys who did the beats, and they go HARD. Their chemistry reminds me a lot of Mobb Deep. Two dope, raw, and rugged personalities rising the other up to new heights across the projects, each verse sounding like it’s trying to outdo the one that came before, and it’s that healthy competitive spirit is not only something I love but something that helps evolve the game onwards! The lack of pride and just working on sharpening one’s skills!

Of course, both of them have ridiculous pen game, smooth flow, and lethal lyricism and studio cadence that can content with everyone and anyone in the studio.

For example, they feature on this album: 

-New Villain

-Tona

-AYOO BIGZ

And those are some of the most powerhouse names in the game right now. If there was anyone to test your skills against, it would be against them! And they have equal chemistry with the features as they do with each other, which is a very special quality indeed!

All in all, another W by 100 MAD. I can’t imagine them taking an L, and as of right now, they still haven’t! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/34kx4ylJRwNDtnHUk0rbom?si=DvatJPLaTKeSqnZJxOEHwA